The Unified Northern Drivers Racing Association seeks to keep Super Late Model racing affordable while putting on the most entertaining program possible.

A QUICK HISTORY OF TUNDRA AT JEFFERSON

Posted on Jul 16, 2018

PORTAGE, Wis. (July 16, 2018) – The TUNDRA Super Late Model Series Powered by Wisconsin Potatoes will make its sixth stop at Jefferson Speedway this Saturday, July 21.The handful of previous visits have been chocked full of suspense.

TUNDRA first visited Wisconsin’s Action Track in June of 2013.In his series debut, eventual Champion Nick Panitzke of Lakeville, Minn., held off the forces just long enough before rain shortened the event.Panitzke built up a large lead early, but was slowed by heavy lapped traffic.He was caught by the likes of Frank Kreyer, Dalton Zehr, and Casey Johnson.However, the precipitation increased just as Kreyer was ready to make a challenge.The yellow fell and the race was called complete as it had passed the halfway point.Had it gone to completion, any one of the four could have stepped into Victory Lane.

In 2014 a familiar face at Jefferson took his first TUNDRA win as Casey Johnson showed his prowess.The feature got off to a couple of wild starts with melees entering turn one.Once things settled, Johnson restarted Sixth on lap two.He quickly picked his way through the rest of the front runners and secured the lead on lap 14.Ty Majeski followed Johnson to Second, Panitzke was Third, Zehr Fourth, and Mike Lichtfeld rounded out the Top Five.

As was the story in both 2013 and 2014, weather played a factor in 2015.Unfortunately, there was no stopping Mother Nature in June, so the event was postponed until September as part of the Wisconsin State Championships.This event would decide a wild season title chase between Zehr and Majeski.Entering the main event Zehr trailed Majeski by 25 points. By holding off Casey Johnson and controlling the caution-free 75 lapper, Zehr claimed his Second straight series title as Majeski had to will his machine to an Eighth Place finish after losing power steering early in the race.Zehr’s final margin of victory was five points.

TUNDRA decided its title race at Jefferson again in September of 2016.Much like 2014, the day belonged to Casey Johnson.In fact, the weekend belonged to Johnson as he swept the Late Model features on Friday and Saturday of the Wisconsin Short Track Championships.The win helped Johnson cap his title run for the season.He did, however, have to avoid disaster early in the race when several drivers tangled.Johnson dived to the bottom to avoid the scrap.Those who went to the top saw an early end to their day.After tempting fate, Johnson made his way to the front, passed Zehr on lap 35 and stormed away from him and Lichtfeld on several restarts.

Most recently TUNDRA returned to Jefferson for a summer showdown in July of 2017.After an early incident took several favorites from the running, the race turned into a five-way battle to become a first time winner.Wyatt Brooks and John Beale outlasted Jordan DeVoy, Adam Peschek, and Grant Griesbach for a final showdown.Brooks had led from the outset.Beale had worked his way from last on the starting grid.The two went side-by-side on several occasions over the final laps with Beale hoping to steal the lead on the bottom line.Brooks had an answer to each challenge and held on for the win in just his second-ever visit to the quarter-mile.

This Saturday’s Round Four also features the Jefferson Hobby Stocks and Bandoleros.Gates open at 3 p.m., qualifying is at 5 p.m., and racing begins at 7 p.m.

Jefferson Speedway is located at W8135 US-18 just west of the city of Jefferson.For more information visit www.jeffersonspeedway.com